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NHL, teams reducing food waste

Programs involve recycling, composting and donating to local shelters

From March 12-18, the National Hockey League and its member clubs, as part of the first-ever NHL Green Week, will showcase its greening programs and initiatives that are reducing the League's environmental impact, while calling on fans and partners to accelerate a movement toward a healthier planet.

Today's Tip: Food for thought

Americans throw out the equivalent of $165 billion each year by wasting 40 percent (35 million tons) of the food they buy. On average every family in the United States loses $1,600-$2,000 each year to food that is purchased but not eaten. About 95 percent of the food thrown away ends up in landfills or combustion facilities. A byproduct of food once it's broken down in those locations is methane, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change.

NHL arenas are making a positive impact on their environmental footprints by increasing landfill diversion rates -- keeping waste out of landfills by recycling, composting, donating and upcycling.

The Bell Centre in Montreal recycles and composts over 80 percent of its residual materials. Air Canada Centre in Toronto recently installed an innovative system that turns organic food waste into water in 24 hours. Waste cooking oil from food stands is collected monthly at Prudential Center in New Jersey and converted into biodiesel fuel by a local renewable-energy company. That fuel is used to power generators and the repurposed Devils Army truck. The Vancouver Canucks divert over 60 percent of waste from landfills.

The NHL also has food recovery and composting programs. The food recovery program diverts approximately 100 tons of food from landfills and provides about 120,000 meals to local shelters each season.